Nicosia, Cyprus. President Nikos Christodoulides said on Wednesday that negotiations on the Cyprus problem should resume from where they halted in Crans-Montana in 2017. He reiterated his readiness to restart talks with the Turkish Cypriot side.
Call to resume negotiations
Christodoulides said he was focused on resuming talks from where they left off in Crans-Montana, building on the negotiating acquis. He said he was not distracted by statements and comments.
Extended conference and UN contacts
Speaking at the 60th anniversary celebrations of Frederick University in Nicosia, Christodoulides reaffirmed his commitment to convening an extended conference. He said this had been agreed in recent talks with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman and United Nations envoy Maria Angela Holguin.
Response to Erhurman remarks
In response to statements made by Erhurman earlier in the day, Christodoulides refuted claims that the lack of a solution was because the Greek Cypriot side refused to share its “wealth and power”. He said Turkey’s position was clearly for a two-state solution in Cyprus and added that if this was Erhurman’s position, he should say so publicly.
EU presidency and elections
Christodoulides said the ongoing EU Council presidency and upcoming parliamentary elections did not affect the process of resolving the Cyprus problem. He said he had conveyed facts that the presidency and parliamentary elections do not affect the process.
UN Security Council resolutions and February meeting
Citing the joint statement issued after the two leaders’ meeting on December 11, Christodoulides referred to a specific mention of United Nations Security Council resolutions. He said these encompassed a detailed solution for a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality as outlined in the resolution, and said he would raise the matter at his meeting with Erhurman on February 24.
Holguin and Guterres
Asked whether he planned to discuss criticism of Holguin’s statements in an opinion piece with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Christodoulides said he had not actually been dissatisfied.
What do you expect to be the main focus of the February 24 meeting between Christodoulides and Erhurman?